You are here

Industry Reports

Macroeconomic tailwinds including the booming economy and increased training needs caused by the lack of qualified workers in the job market have propelled merger and acquisition activity in the eLearning, Corporate & Professional Training industry. Additionally, turnover from the baby boomer generation to millennial workers has increased training needs, specifically in areas of management.

As technology continues to drive rapid transformation throughout a wide spectrum of industries, operators are embracing new ways to work and businesses are looking for ways to adapt their approach to talent. The evolution of the employment environment requires the Human Resources & Staffing industry to adapt as there is an increased need to deliver optimal solutions to corporate clients and individuals seeking employment.

Secular tailwinds, including increased industrial automation, the application of smart building technology, the proliferation of video consumption, and sophisticated bandwidth capabilities, have propelled the Interconnect Components industry to a period of rapid growth. As the transmission and securing of data across these end-markets has become more complex, key fiber and copper cabling and connectivity solutions are required to successfully facilitate the movement of data.

In 2018, consumers nationwide continued to shift preferences toward products and activities that promote healthy and active lifestyles. A significant result of these shifts was the permeation of natural, organic, and better-for-you (BFY) products into the diets of US households. Numerous US states indicated that approximately 90% of households bought organic food & beverage products regularly, with the lowest level of organic consuming households falling to approximately 70% in certain states, according to the most recent Organic Trade Association survey.

We are pleased to present our 2018 fourth quarter Cybersecurity Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Update with a look back at some key trends and statistics for the year and recently closed quarter.

In our third quarterly edition of our Institutional Industry Report on the Bio/Pharma Outsourced Services (BPOS) sector, we focus on the BPOS industry’s opportunities to support the development and manufacture of cannabinoid-based drugs. We hasten, however, to dampen any prurient interest in this topic by emphasizing that these drugs have no “mind-altering” effects and will not be available through the marijuana dispensaries popping up like flowers in the spring.

Today, software is ubiquitous. In a connected world driven by the growing digital economy, software is present in all aspects of our lives and businesses. By the year 2025, there will be 34.2 billion active device connections, up from 13.9 billion in 2015, according to IoT Analytics.1 Trends like Internet of Things (IoT) technology, autonomous driving, and the smartphone have driven huge increases in the need for developers and programmers, which in turn has driven strong growth across the Application Development (AppDev) & Deployment Software industry.

The Personal Care Products & Service industry has seen significant shifts in consumer preferences, in tandem with the entire Consumer Products market. Companies that have leveraged these shifts by providing consumers with personalized experiences and natural & organic options have not only driven strong sales but have also attracted strategic and private equity interest in the merger & acquisition (M&A) market.

The E-commerce & Internet Retailing market has experienced heightened traffic, increasing 14.5% year-over-year through Q3 2018, according to the US Census Bureau. The positive correlation between rising real disposable income and e-commerce sales has fostered significant growth and expansionary opportunities in the industry. Healthy consumer confidence and wage growth throughout the year, most recently indicating a 3.2% wage increase in the December US jobs report, have resulted in personal consumption expenditure growth of 2.8% YOY in November (US Census Bureau).